#i'm having a big spring sale!

[cashmerecrow]

Some old stoneware has been looking for a new cozy place!

Care to take some home?

[medicinemane]

"DIY tiny home you can build in weeks", ok... now lets see the cost

...seven and a half minutes later, the answer is $75k... so when you include land and all the rest of it, so basically nothing right?

This is my problem with tiny homes stuff, it's for rich people

[dduane]

The Young Wizards series turns 40!

...And yes, we're having a sale to celebrate. But that can wait. :)

I'm sitting here looking at the date and considering how amazing it is that, despite the changes in the publishing world, anything can stay in print nonstop for forty years.

But this book has. Here's how it started:

...Well, not how it started. It started with three things:

A newbie YA writer being deeply annoyed with a non-newbie one for (as she thought) stripping their teenage characters of their agency without good reason.

A suddenly-appearing joke involving two terms or concepts that wouldn't normally appear together: the 1950s young-readers' series of careers books with titles that always began So You Want To Be A..., and the word "wizard."

And the idea immediately springing from that juxtaposition. What if there was such a book? Not a careers book, but a book that told you how to be a wizard—maybe some kind of manual? One that would tell you the truth about the magic underlying the universe, and how to get your hands on it... assuming you felt you could promise the things that power would demand of you, and survive the Ordeal that would follow?

Six or seven months after that confluence of events, there was a novel with that joke-line as its title. A month or so after that, the novel was bought. So You Want To Be A Wizard came out as a Fall 1983 book, as you can see from the Locus Magazine ad above (from back when Locus was only a paper zine). The first reviews were encouraging.

And by the middle of 1984, the publishers were asking, "So, what's next?" A question I'm still busy answering.

There's been a lot of water under the wizardly bridge since. In SYWTBAW's case, this involved a couple/few publishers, a surprising number of covers, a fair number of awards here and there; and lots more books. (I always knew there'd be more, but how many more continues to surprise me. Which is a bit funny, considering how much stuff that universe has going on in it.)

So here we are at forty, and looking ahead to The Big Five-Oh with some interest. More books? Absolutely. Young Wizards #11 is in progress at the moment, and YW #12 is in the late concept stages. More covers for So You Want To Be A Wizard? Seems inevitable. A TV series, perhaps? (shrug) Stranger things have happened: we'll keep our fingers (or other manipulatory instrumentalities) crossed. The New Millennium Editions in translation? and in international paperback? Working on that right now. The sky's the limit.*

And meanwhile, to celebrate, just for today we'll have a sale. (Except in the UK. To our British friends, the usual sad apology: the expensive bureaucracy of Brexit has made it impossible for us to sell directly to you any more. Details here, with our apologies.)

As has been mentioned before, changes are afoot at Ebooks Direct, so this kind of sale won't be happening again for the foreseeable future. (In fact I thought we were all done with them already. But the number 40 suggested one last opportunity that wouldn't be recurring, so I thought, "Aah, what the heck? Let's.")

New things first! Today, to mark this occasion, we're introducing the "All The Wizardry" Bundle. This is Ebook Direct's entire inventory of Young Wizards works; the contents of the bundle are listed on its product page. The $29.99 price listed there is for today only, to celebrate SYWTBAW's birthday, and will go up as of 23:59 Hawai'ian time tonight. As always, should you ever lose your ebooks or need to change reading platforms, we'll change your formats as necessary, or replace the books, for free.

Just click here, or on the image below, for the "All The Wizardry" Bundle. (Please ignore the category listings under the "Pay Using..." icons on the product page: they plainly think they're in a different universe. Kind of an occupational hazard around here...)

The other, older kind of sale folks will have seen here is on the "I Want Everything You've Got" Bundle, which is the whole Ebooks Direct store—obviously including all the Young Wizards books as well: more than 2.5 million words in 36 DRM-free ebooks. Just for today, in honor of the birthday book, we're dropping the whole-store price to USD $40.00. This, too, will go away just before midnight Hawai'ian time tonight... and it will never be lower. So if you want everything we've got at that price, don't wait around.

Make sure you use this link or the one associated with the image to get the baked-in discount at checkout. (If it fails to display correctly, use the discount code "40FOR40" in the checkout's "discount code or gift code" field.)

Meanwhile? Onward into the next decade. The new A Day at the Crossings novel unfortunately won't make it out before the end of 2023; other work in-house currently has taken priority. But as for early 2024... stay tuned.

And for those of you who're Young Wizards readers, and have kept this book, and its sequels, alive for pushing half a century?

Thank you, again and always!

*Though actually, it's not, is it? As the proverb has it, "Wizardry doesn't stop at atmosphere's edge..."

[mangostarjam]

knot happening (part one) — bnha, alpha!bakugou katsuki x f!reader, aged up characters, established relationship, a/b/o dynamics, use of "brat" and "pipsqueak" as pet names, smut in the second part (coming soon), omegaverse!au for the spring fever collab run by @lorelune ! 1.2k words

your new company has some... interesting policies for employee heat cycles. you do your best to find a loophole.

"I can't do it."

"The hell d'ya mean, you can't do it?"

You give your Pro Hero boyfriend and resident alpha A Look. Bakugou Katsuki has the grace to shut his mouth, but he rolls his eyes and drapes a heavy arm over your shoulders, yanking you into him on the faded yellow couch you picked out together years ago.

"This is my first heat at this new job, and it's just... embarrassing. Do you know what they do, Katsuki?"

He raises a sharp blonde eyebrow in invitation.

"They..." your voice drops with horror, "they announce it to the whole company."

"Hah?" Katsuki sits up a little, strong thighs flexing beneath his gym shorts. He came in on the tail end of your mental breakdown, finding you pacing in the living room of your apartment with your hands tugging incessantly on your borrowed shirt. "What the fuck?"

"I know," you wail, "it's ridiculous! The president sends out a company wide email explaining your absence, and the HR team sends you a care basket, and the Sales team sets up a pre-heat drinking party! Do you know what's in the care basket, Katsuki?"

"Do I wanna know?"

"It's filled with sex toys, babe! SEX TOYS! From my company! They're branded!"

A spark lights up in Katsuki's otherwise vaguely concerned expression. "Don't they know you're mated?"

"Yes, of course, that was in my file," you wave him off, still seeing horror images of company branded sex toys floating in your mental vision. "I heard from Sasaki in Accounting that the toys are for when your mate needs a break. Y'know, from fucking."

Katsuki's derisive snort is loud and breaks you out of your personal hellhole. "What kinda fuckin' alpha needs a break when their mate needs 'em?"

"Well, not every alpha is a big strong Pro Hero like you," you point out, poking him on one annoyingly firm bicep. The familiar scent of caramel and smoke fills your nose. "And actually, maybe I should ask if they've got any onaholes for when you're the one in heat. Last time I needed another two days to recover."

"Hah?! There's no fucking way I'll use one of those!"

You peer up at your boyfriend reproachfully. "I like being able to walk, Katsuki."

"You don't need to fuckin' walk if I'm carryin' you everywhere, brat."

"Hmm, we'll see," you say. Katsuki's red eyes flash as you tap your bottom lip with your finger thoughtfully. "There's gotta be a way for me to take a week off work without telling them I'm going into heat."

"There's no way you'll be able to avoid it," Katsuki rumbles, leaning forward to catch your finger with his teeth. He nips at it lightly before leaning down more to capture your lips in a sweet kiss. That, more than anything, finally makes your anxiety simmer down. "You always smell so fucking good before it starts. Everyone's gonna notice."

"You're the only one who can do anything about it, though, so you'll have to keep it in your pants or quit picking me up after work."

"Not happening," Katsuki presses another kiss along your hairline and noses into the strands, sniffing deeply. It tickles, and you laugh, trying halfheartedly to shove him off of you. "What else do they give in these care packages?"

"Actually, besides the super cursed sex toys, they include really good snacks and electrolyte drinks to keep your energy up," you say, "and I'm really glad my company is so open about it all, but it's just so embarrassing!"

Katsuki hums, letting you vent out your worries. You look really pretty like this, dressed in one of his shirts and a pair of pajama shorts, some soft cotton thing that barely covers your perfect ass. He pulls your legs onto his lap and you flop backwards on the couch, moving on from your minor breakdown to sharing a funny story that happened to one of your new coworkers the other day. He had missed hearing about it then, stuck on overtime for a patrol, so he basks in your attention now as the two of you laze around on the couch.

The afternoon passes into evening. It's a rare lazy Monday together — your new job lets you have three day weekends in exchange for slightly longer work days, and Katsuki's patrol schedule happened to line up this week. You're digging into a pint of ice cream after polishing off a plate of his delicious (but spicy) curry and rice when it comes up again.

"What're you gonna do about your heat?"

"Well, I was thinking," you slide your spoon into the thick cream and wave it at him, "I'll still need to use my authorized heat cycle time off, since I want to save my vacation and comp time for real uses, so there's no avoiding the company finding out..."

Katsuki raises an eyebrow and accepts the spoonful of ice cream you're dangling in his face. His tongue pokes out to chase a bit of cream lingering on the edge of his lip and he grins, sharp, at the way your eyes track the movement. "But...?"

You have a feeling Katsuki hasn't fully thought through the horrors of corporate sponsored pleasure items, but you have, and the thought of everyone at your new company knowing you'll be getting fucked within an inch of your life makes you want to shrivel up and die. All companies have policies in place to protect time off for heat cycles, as society couldn't function otherwise, but this is the first place you've worked where impending heat cycles are declared company-wide. Normally it's just marked as time off.

"But they don't have to find out until after it starts, right? So as long as I can get through the pre-heat stuff without anyone noticing, I can avoid the cursed care package and company-wide email!"

"Ain't happening," Katsuki says flatly.

"We've been mated for sooo long now, babe," your gaze flicks up to meet his and you pout. Your boyfriend outright snorts when you start batting your eyelashes at him. "Surely you can resist the pre-heat symptoms this one time? I swear I'll get over my company's shenanigans once I see it happen to a few other people. It's really great how supportive they are, but I need some time, that's all."

"Your heat is in like. Two weeks," Katsuki says.

You pout up at him some more.

"During your last heat cycle we broke the mattress frame when I missed your first few pre-heat days."

"Yeah, but that was because you had that mission that went long," you say. If you could just... convince him... "C'mon, babe, this will be different! You're such a strong, powerful alpha — resisting me will be a piece of cake! Unless..." you pause and scoop another bite of ice cream into your mouth, "you're too weak to resist me."

"Are you callin' me weak?" Katsuki narrows his eyes. You wave your spoon casually and shrug.

"I mean... all you've gotta do is ignore my pre-heat. I'm just an itty bitty omega..."

Getting into a staring match with Pro Hero Dynamight is not on anyone's Top Ten Good Ideas list, but you match your boyfriend's red glare steadily.

"Alright, pipsqueak, you're on," Katsuki scoffs. "We'll see who's beggin' for who by the time your heat rolls around."

[stevesbipanic]

It was supposed to be a one time thing.

Steve had always been in charge of feeding the kids, a self appointed position that didn't do anything to stop the mom jokes but Steve liked making sure his kids were happy and fed. He knew what it was like to come home from school and have to fend for yourself in terms of food, he didn't want that for the kids.

He had taught himself to cook and bake as he grew up, quickly getting tired of heating up spaghetti-os or TV dinners. His parents always left the house well stocked with ingredients even though they weren't there so he had to make do.

Steve liked baking things for the kids, he knew everyone's favourite cookie and cupcake flavour and made sure he made them if he heard one of them had had a bad day.

Max had been the one to ask him originally. The high school was having a bake sale and Max's mum wasn't around enough to give her the flyer and Max had asked him if he'd make those caramel brownies that she loves. He agrees as long as she learns to make them with him which she had happily agreed to.

To Steve's suprise his brownies had been a hit at the bake sale. There were a few stink eyes from some of the moms there but mostly there were big smiles and punched cheeks and "aren't you just the sweetest boy" from everyone there. The kids had nagged him for cash for the sale which they mainly used to get his brownies even though he'd told them he made extra at home.

After that, it just became a thing. Whenever there was a bake sale one or more of the kids came to ask him to make something for them, some half baked (excuse the pun) excuse as to why their own parents couldn't do it.

"Mum always burns her cupcakes."

"Dad says he only knows how to grill."

"I swear she put salt in them last time."

"Do you want to give the school food poisoning?"

"Yours are just better." Steve liked that one.

Soon the kids didn't even have to ask him, he had moms putting the flyer in his mailbox. Once he opened it to ten of the bright pink papers shoved in there. It wasn't even just bake sales. The PTA moms had practically adopted him and wanted him at all the school events, sports carnivals, school musicals, pep rallies. Everyone wanted Steve's baked goods.

"I swear you're at the school more than I was in all my senior years, Stevie."

"You're just jealous that the moms love me."

"I've always thought you're sweet, sweetheart."

Steve had even started experiment with his recipes. Robin and Eddie were more than happy to be his guinea pigs.

"Steve if I liked dudes I would marry you to eat this cupcake everyday."

"Fuck you Buckley I'M marrying him AND I'm getting to eat this brownie til I die!"

"You don't need to marry me for me to bake for you two."

"Yeah but then I'd get to brag to all the PTA moms that I have Stevie Harrington's sweet goods and sweet cheeks."

"EDDIE!"

Steve had been struggling with what he wanted to do with his life, he didn't go to college, he worked minimum wage and his parents had practically cut him off. It was at the last bake sale before spring break that one of the moms Steve had gotten close to approached him.

"Steve, honey?"

"Hey Mary, what can I do for ya?"

"Well, you know I'm in real estate and there's this sweet lil storefront down on Maple that recently flooded but it's got good bones just needs a lil love and I'm rambling but I saw it and I knew it would be perfect for you."

"Perfect for what ma'am?"

"For your bakery, hun!"

"Oh ma'am I'm not opening a bakery."

"Why not honey? Everyone loves your sweet treats and with the flooding the place is basically being given away, I didn't wanna sell it til I talked to you first, so what do you say?"

"Can I give you an answer first thing tomorrow."

"Sure hun, but don't wait too long, things like this don't come around often."

Steve had been pacing the apartment by the time Eddie got home from the shop.

"Stevie, baby what's wrong?"

Steve stopped pacing and turned towards his boyfriend.

"If you were really good at something and every said you were really good at something and someone gave you the opportunity to do that thing every day would you do it?"

"Um probably, do what you love and everything right?"

"Mary stopped me today and says there's this store that needs work but could be worth it and I could open my own bakery there Eds, mine, all me doing something for me, but money would be tight for a little while and I don't want to do anything rash and if you think it's not a good id—"

"STEVIE! Sweetheart breathe. Does baking make you happy?" Eddie had put his hands on Steve's shoulders trying to calm him.

Steve nods.

"Then do it baby. Sure money might be tight for a bit, but we have some savings, and I've got my job pretty stable now, so fuck it if it makes you happy of course I want you to do it."

Steve pulled Eddie into a hug whispering a soft thank you.

The following day Steve signed the deed for the shop on Maple St and Eddie and the party and Hopper and Wayne and the girls and everyone helped him him clean out the debris and put up new walls and paint until two weeks later it was finished.

Steve's Sweets was finally open. Robin had been hired to work the coffee to go with Steve's treats and the kids got part time jobs after school and on weekends working the register. Robin and Eddie still helped try out new recipes and soon the whole town knew about Steve's new store.

Steve still baked things for the school's bake sale but now he got to feed his friends and family and the whole town everyday and he was never happier.

[fryingtoilet]

Hello Everyone! I'm super excited to announce my new sketch collection Artbook: ✿Halcyon Days✿

I decided to go the pre-order route this time to make the process smoother, since I've got a great system for fulfilling orders through my own shop, and I have some funds to start the production right away!

In order to secure the rest of the production funding, and to allow myself more time to work on Gloamingvale's Chapter 1, I am hoping to get as many preorders as possible quickly, and offering a big early-bird discount for the new book, as well as a big spring sale on the rest of my shop items! There will also be a couple of bundle-options available, with a big discount as well.

Let me tell you more about the book: I've been putting it together for the past couple of months, and ended up with a lot more pages than I anticipated. It's brimming with a huge variety of sketches! I included a ton of sketchbook scans, digital doodles, and all the fanarts that didn't make it into my previous artbooks. Here are the book details:

7' x 10' Inches - Softcover perfect bound, with Gold Foiling and soft touch Matte lamination - 104 Pages full Colour on premium munken paper with a matte finish

I have already begun production and the estimated preorder ship-out date is: Early-Mid AUGUST 2024

So only a few months of wait-time, much quicker than most Kickstarters!

I hope you will help me make the production of this book go smoothly by getting a copy early on and taking advantage of the reduced pricing! There will also be a brand new bookplate sticker design for this release, and an art print of the full cover illustration.

Your support is, as always, SO appreciated!

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Can you imagine having a Palm Springs, California address, like the wealthy, for less than $750K? Well, here's the chance. Two rock homes are for sale - 1 for $749K and 1 for $699K - both have already been reduced by $50K. 2bds, 1ba.

They were built in 1930 inspired by Hopi and Navajo homes. The owner passed away and the family has had them on the market since 2022. They are historic and eligible for tax abatement under California's Mill Act Program.

The listing is focused on the smaller one, listed for $699K.

So, you have a large living room with a fireplace. There's a nice big alcove, too.

You could do something with this. The alcove has a little stage-like elevation.

I'm not sure what this is, but there doesn't seem to be a kitchen. Maybe that's why this fireplace is higher, like an oven?

This looks like it would make a good kitchen, especially if you want a huge one.

A patio is outside the potential kitchen.

Here's a table by an old heat stove and there's also a cabinet.

The larger home, built in 1929, features a casita.

The real estate photos are terrible. They don't show bedrooms, baths, or which house is which.

A private road with limited access leads to the homes.

The property looks neglected and overgrown, with lots of dead weeds.

You can see here how the private road veers away from a Palm Springs neighborhood with pools and stuff.

Looks like you can't access it from that main road. It's like the black sheep of the family that has to use the back door.

The lot is 3.33 acres. I know that they reduced the prices but it still seems a lot for just a couple of stone shells. What do you think?

[ashintheairlikesnow]

ash i love vince so much he is my number 2 babygirl (antoni number 1 babygirl forever)

i would like to formally request some vince having a Bad Time, either past stuff with owen or present with recovery being a bitch

because there is nothing better than lovely characters having bad times that they absolutely do not deserve

CW: Alcoholism, withdrawal/cravings, alcoholic anger, Vince and Jameson both PTSD-ing all over the place, guilt

Oh, poor Vince. Takes place post-the Same Bed Arc, after Vince is living with Nat and Jameson.

-

Vince doesn't even look up when he hears Jameson stop in the doorway. He just pours a few shots worth of the gin into the glass, staring fixedly down at it. The liquid, clear as water but with the herbal scent washing over him like a welcome spring rain, spreads over the ice with those gentle cracks he knows better than his own heartbeat.

God, it looks good.

His hands don't shake, now. His heart doesn't race. He doesn't feel sweaty, or upset, or like he'll be sick.

He just feels like he's staring at the solution to all his problems, and all he has to do is swallow it down.

This should feel awful - he knows it should. It should taste awful, there should be something to remind him of the damage he does to himself every time he drinks again. He should hear his sponsor speaking in the back of his mind, he should hear the voices of the others at the meetings he goes to - one for alcoholism, one for survivors of sexual assault, twice a week there's movie star Vincent goddamn Shield among the normal people and admitting he's barely human, just a wreck that only survived Owen Grant because Nat decided she gave a fuck about him for reasons Vince still doesn't understand.

Here he stands, a hollow shell wearing a nice face who let someone else suffer in his place and was grateful for it for far too long.

Kauri hates him but it's nothing compared to how much he hates himself.

Vince lifts the glass, hesitating at the last second with the cool rim just touching his lower lip. Gin smells like blacking out and right now he could use the blessed darkness, hangover be damned.

He can worry about that when the headache kicks in tomorrow morning.

He realizes he's waiting for the sickening crawl of guilt at letting Nat down, at-... at letting himself down. Maybe that will come later, but right now... He feels goddamn good. Settled. Calm.

He and Jameson meet eyes just as he tosses the drink back, three large swallows of juniper-scented gin down his throat like water, leaving only the ice cubes behind.

The burn is perfect.

He pours himself another drink, feeling the warmth slowly spread through his chest to his shoulders, eyes briefly closing. God, it feels like goddamn heaven.

He looks up.

Jameson is still standing there in the doorway, looking oddly soft in a loose sweater that's far too big for him and a pair of old jeans that probably cost a dollar at a yard sale and even that was too much. Vince has jeans that distressed, somewhere.

His cost more than five hundred dollars.

He chokes on the next drink from trying not to laugh.

Jameson's eyes narrow. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Vince takes another sip, eyes half-closed, letting himself take it slow this time and really enjoy the taste.

He'd honestly been surprised the little liquor store down the block even carried this brand of gin. Not that he wouldn't have bought whatever he could get, when he stood there feeling like he would die if he had to go another day, but still. It's nice to have seen his favorite stuff, top shelf, pricier than it had any right to be. It's not even that good, but it's still his favorite. It still tastes, to him, like the nights he sleeps without nightmares, few and far between.

Gin tastes like those nights he gets to sleep at all.

The cashier had looked surprised as she wiped off the dust and rang it up for him. Then, with a shy smile, she'd asked him if anyone ever told him he looked a lot like Vincent Shield. He'd been kind of sad she didn't card him - it would have been nice to see the look on her face when she saw his name.

Instead, he paid in cash, laughed, and told her the standard I get that a lot, actually.

Jameson doesn't move closer, or leave. "It looks like you're fucking yourself up," He says, lingering in the doorway. "You can't just start drinking again. You know that, right?"

"Oh, I sure as hell can." Vince laughs, but it's a bitter sound. He licks the gin lingering on his lips, then gestures at the bottle. "Have some with me."

He's caught, for just a moment, when he sees Jameson wearing an expression Vince has never seen on him before. He looks... nervous. Afraid, almost, instead of angry.

"I-I don't want to," Jameson says, but there's a way he says it that makes Vince think he'd drink if he offers again. Maybe he wants to, or maybe he just doesn't want to make Vince mad.

If he commanded it, if he gave an order... Jameson would be as he's told, wouldn't he? Damn, that would be some power to have over someone.

This must be why Owen liked it so much.

No.

He won't think about Owen right now.

Vince gulps down liquid until he's breathless, almost panting. The warmth is like the familiar cradle of a softer reality settling in. He makes himself slow down this time, picking up an ice cube and sucking the juniper taste right off it before crunching it with his teeth.

"Vince." Jameson's voice gets harsher, and something seems to break his brief paralysis. He moves closer, grabbing the bottle and pulling it away when Vince puts a hand out to pour the third drink. "Fucking... look at me. What the fuck?"

Vince's hand just... hangs out there, reaching for a bottle that isn't where it was. He stares at the empty space, and feels that dark inside of him threaten to well up yet again. "What?"

Jameson swallows, his eyes moving to the glass, back to Vince's face. He steps backwards, and Vince watches the bottle go with him with a piercing need that could easily knock him off his feet if he weren't holding onto the back of a chair. Jameson clears his throat. "Aren't you... like, sober now?"

"Mmmn. Was. Got the like... three month chip thing and everything." He's gotten thoroughly wasted so many times in his life. Nothing relaxes him better than enough alcohol to force his body to stop living in constant, unending fear of who might hurt him next. "Right now, I am tipsy instead. In about an hour, I'm going to be absolutely fucked up. Give me back my gin."

Jameson's hand moves - then he jerks it back, taking a few steps backwards until he's back in the doorway. His eyes are on Vince's face, watching him with a total focus that Vince recognizes from the others he's worked with over the years - Jameson's just a trained pet, in this moment, watching to see if the master will be angry.

It makes him laugh again, more bitterly this time. Is he the master? Has he ever been his own master, let alone anyone else's?

"I... I can't do that," Jameson says, and Vince hears that he doesn't say no. When Vince moves towards him, he backs up a little more, and Vince comes to a stop just a foot or so away.

"Am... am I scaring you?" He asks, suddenly.

It wasn't what he meant to say, he meant to demand his drink again. Instead, this question that... that just sort of falls out of him like a waterfall.

Jameson's jaw sets and his eyes narrow. "You're not doing shit to me," He snaps, but Vince knows he's really saying yes.

Is this why people buy pets? So they can see something pretend not to be scared, and know they're the monster not just under the bed, but in it?

"Oh," He whispers. "What is it? Why are you scared? I'm just a drunk asshole, why are you scared of me?"

Jameson bristles, but then he offers - as if it's pulled out of him against his will - the softest explanation. "Brute and Robert got drunk all the time. I know what happens when-... when people get this kind of drunk."

There's a look in his eyes Vince has seen before in Kauri's. Not fear of him, not directly, but fear of someone like him, maybe. Fear of having demands made that can't be denied.

Is this how Owen felt, every time Kauri had to playact the loving boyfriend with bruises on his wrists and terror making his heart race? Is this how it feels to have power over somebody else when you can't even control yourself?

It's... it's good, almost.

It feels better than he thought it would.

"Back up, Shield," Jameson hisses, like a cat spitting and arching its back, ready to attack with claws and sharp teeth not because it's confident in victory but because it's so small it has to fight to have even the slightest chance to survive.

Vince looks him over, reading with an actor's expertise how he's projecting a confident swagger he never feels, how the irritation layers itself so carefully over a vulnerability that he sees as weakness. Vince has lived that way, too, since he was twenty-one, since his best friend turned out to be a rapist who wanted Vince to himself, since he started drinking to forget every single night and putting on the perfect face during his days.

They both survived, didn't they?

Jameson just did it by fighting his way out, and Vince by pretending to be someone he wasn't until nobody knew who he actually was, and that's a way of surviving, too. Wear another face, and make sure no one sees the fear in your real one, so they can't refuse to help you... because you've never asked.

"No." At least one of them can say it. Although that makes Vince's heart twist with ugly guilt, the petty cruelty of the thought. "Give me my gin," Vince says, pitching his voice low, and holds out his hand. "Now, Jameson. Give it to me."

"I can't." The strength is gone from Jameson's voice, and he looks at Vince with those dark eyes searching his own, trying to make himself understood. "If you drink, your-... your body's not used to it anymore, if you drink the same amount you'll fucking kill your stupid liver."

"What do you care about my liver?" Vince's voice drops low, almost a whisper. "What do you care about me, about my goddamn joke of a life, huh? What the fuck do you care? Why should anyone care?"

There's a flicker of something in Jameson's eyes - recognition, maybe. Something that lights up, just for a second, before the other man shoves Vince to the side with sudden violent strength and stalks to the sink, turning the bottle over and pouring that expensive artisan gin right down the drain.

"No!" Vince's voice is a ragged shout as he lunges after him, but it's too little too late.

Jameson's foot kicks out and slams into Vince's calf, sending him stumbling, clawing desperately as the gin is gone, glug glug glug, down into the pipes, disappearing towards the ocean.

Rage and terror fight in Vince's mind in a sudden white noise and he gets to his feet, grabbing Jameson by the arms and squeezing as hard as he can, shoving him back across the room. He hears Jameson hit one of the chairs, the clatter of wood and Jameson's grunt of pain as both hit the ground hard. The bottle is in the sink, and even when Vince scrambles to pick it back up, there's less than an inch of gin left.

He sucks it down, and only once he's gotten that final drop does he suddenly go still.

Oh.

There's the guilt and the horror and feeling sick at himself, just... twenty minutes too late. He sets the empty bottle carefully down, and then turns slowly around to look at Jameson.

Jameson sits on the kitchen floor, staring up at him with wide eyes. His face is pale, making the scar that twists the corner of his mouth stand out even more. His hair is nearly grown back in now, the bald patches hidden by the rest.

Vince exhales in a rush. "Oh, hell. Jameson-" He holds out a hand.

Jameson flinches.

Vince pulls his hand back, backing up until his back hits the edge of the sink. "Right. Okay. I'm-... I'm sorry Jameson-"

"Yeah." Jameson's voice is gruff, all the vulnerability and fear wiped away as soon as he realizes it's showing. He gets to his feet, shoulders protectively hunched, arms crossed in front of himself defensively. "Whatever. Sure you are. Drink yourself to death, shitbag, if that's what you want."

"I'm so sorry."

Jameson's jaw works. "... Everybody's always sorry. Then I get fucking hit again." Then he turns and walks - limps, really, his knees threatening to give out with every step - away. Vince stands there, frozen, listening as he makes his slow, painful way up the stairs.

Vince stares at the place he was for a while - he isn't sure how long. The gin is sinking its velvet claws into his mind, and he's drunker than he should be after only two drinks.

But then, it's been months.

Months, he made it without taking even a sip.

He swallows, again and again, and then pulls his cell phone out of his pocket, finds a contact, and presses the button to make the call.

The phone rings until he's certain it'll go to voicemail, before a voice he knows as well as his own is in his ear.

"What the hell do you want?"

"I-I need to talk to you," He stammers, his heart cold. "Please. Please. I-I've been drinking. I need... I need help."

There's a pause.

"From... me?"

"Yeah... yeah. You'll-... I need somebody who won't be nice to me-"

"Oh, well, if there's anything I love it's the chance to be mean to you, let me drop my entire life to come listen to you whine about yours."

"Please."

An exhale. "Whatever. Yeah, okay. I'll be over there in like... half an hour? An hour, maybe. Drink some water and I'll be there as soon as I can. Don't leave the house."

"Thanks... thank you, Kauri."

Kauri hangs up.

Vince pours himself a glass of water over the leftover gin-soaked ice, sipping it, barely flavored with a hint of the liquor he wants so badly. He rights the chair he'd accidentally shoved Jameson into, and listens to the creaking floorboards and muffled cursing above him as Jameson makes his halting painful way from stairway to his room, a couple thumps when he clearly falls and had to force himself back upright, until the pacing abruptly stops when he must have collapsed into his bed.

He hears the gentle patting of Trash Cat's paws as she leaves her place on the living room couch and follows him, too, her soft meowing until Jameson opens his door to let her come in after him. Then silence again.

Vince sits back down at the table, leaning over with his head in his hand, staring as the ice slowly melts, cooling the water around it.

He should have called his sponsor instead.

Whatever Kauri is about to say can only make this worse.

But he deserves it, anyway.

Vince doesn't move a muscle until he hears the sound of Jake's truck pulling into the driveway, crunching briefly over gravel before it's on the pavement again, when he raises his head.

Kauri walks in without knocking, stops in the doorway to the kitchen, and looks at him like his younger self ashamed of what he's grown into. Vince knows Jake must have driven him, but he's nowhere to be seen - maybe just staying outside, for now. He's clearly dressed for bed in a matching navy blue silk button-up and pajama pants, barefoot even.

"Hey," Vince says, weakly. The alcohol feels like poison now, not the soothing warmth it had been before. "I... I fucked up, Kauri."

"Yeah, I can tell just by looking at you, you're a goddamn mess." Kauri looks at Vince head-on, even though it still hurts him to do it, and Vince can see the flinch he suppresses as the headache kicks in. His blue eyes are identical to Vince's in nearly every way, except that Kauri's gaze has always been stronger. "What the hell did you do?"

"I got... I drank."

"Yep. I can see the gin bottle. Did you drink all of it?" Kauri's voice is flat and businesslike. It's like having his own younger self dressing him down, and somehow that feels... really good. Better than he thought it would.

"... No. Just a couple drinks. Jameson poured the rest out."

"Good for him." Kauri flickers a smile. "Where is he?"

"I-... I scared him."

"... you scared him?"

"Yeah. I was-... I wasn't-... I didn't mean to, but-"

"Shut up. All right. Tell me what you did. I'll fix it. This time, taking your place so I suffer for years while you run off and become obscenely wealthy is off the table, got it?"

Vince looks at him in horror only to see a surprising warmth in Kauri's smile. Not... not affection, but something like it. A wry compassion, maybe. Something else he doesn't deserve. "I don't know. I don't know if I can fix this, Kauri. I don't know."

"Well... I happen to the resident expert in trying to avoid dealing with your problems while making them all worse, so talk to me. Tell me what you did, start to finish. We'll figure out what comes next."

Vince lowers his head into his arms.

"Thank you," He says, muffled.

"Not enough thanks in the world, dumbass. Lucky for you I'm an amazing person who just happens to have spent most of my twenties making stupid drunk mistakes. So stop stalling and start talking."

-

@finder-of-rings @endless-whump @arlin-always-writing @newandfiguringitout @doveotions @pretty-face-breaker @gonna-feel-that-tomorrow @boxboysandotherwhump @oops-its-whump @whumpyourdamnpears @cubeswhump  @whump-tr0pes @whumptywhumpdump @whumpiary @orchidscript @outofangband @hackles-up @grizzlie70 @mylifeisonthebookshelf @keeper-of-all-the-random-things @autophagay

[magicxc]

Holidays

Pairings: Survey Corps - their fave holidays

Word Count: 871

Warnings: none

A/N: I considered Japanese holidays for this bit but then laziness got the best of me. Like most pieces I create with these characters a lot of how I envision them will relate to western/modern culture in some way or another. Though they probably won't celebrate half of the holidays I'm about to list, I want to reiterate that this is my idea of the traits these characters possess and also they are not real. 

Eren  - Christmas

Eren is big on family, especially the family he’s made with Armin and Mikasa. It’s clear that he stands ten toes down behind them and when he gets his own family, it’ll be much the same. I actually think having kids will bring out the fluff in Eren and he’ll be that obnoxious holiday parent that's doing the most with decorations and presents. But it's honestly the atmosphere that gets him going. The holiday cheer, the kindness, the emphasis on giving - he loves it all. 

Levi - New Years

The new year signals a new beginning but also the close to another chapter. Each time Levi makes it to a new year he’s thankful but mostly shocked. From life underground to humanity's biggest threat, he never knows when disaster might strike. But, when the clock strikes 12 it's a moment of relief, one where he can sit back and relish in the thought that he’s made it to another trip around the sun. 

Erwin - Fathers Day

Lmaoo I'm not tryna make Erwin sound egotistical at all, but I was also running out of popular holidays. The day the Scouts headed to their mission to plug wall Maria was the first time we saw them get a standing ovation and it was also the first time we saw Erwin express such vocal excitement. Even though he can come off a bit aloof, I thought it was fun to see him in that way. That being said I think he’d enjoy being celebrated and can even play up the wowwwws at the macaroni necklaces and handprint construction papers lol. He would love and take care of his family obvi but it’d also make him feel good to feel that admiration in return. 

Connie - Thanksgiving 

You feed this man and he’ll love you forever. It’s his favorite holiday because it has back to back benefits. There's tons of food, a four day weekend off from work, and the opportunity to spend time with his family. He’s the type to pitch in money but over the years Connie has been more inclined to learn how to cook and has even started bringing in a dish. He’s most excited to try a Friendsgiving as he considers them family as well. 

Jean - Valentines Day

I firmly believe that Jean is a romantic. I don't think he’d be the most creative at gift giving lol but it’s certainly the thought that counts. On valentines day he goes all out - teddy bears, flowers, chocolates, etc. ya know, the usual. Although his gifts are very on the nose and sometimes he needs to be spoon fed the information, what he lacks in creativity, he'll gain in experience; learning to step his game up as the years go by. Again, sweet guy. 

Onyankopon - Easter

He more so likes the spring break aspect of it. With the flowers blooming and the sun making regular appearances, it was usually the first sign to what summer would be like. Ony enjoys traveling, meeting new people, and experiencing different cultures. So although spring break was meant to party, which he did, Ony always made the time to immerse himself in the customs of whichever country he visited. Now as an adult, he still indulged in his version of spring break as he always enjoyed the mini relaxation that it brought about; thinking of it as his summer outside of summer. 

Reiner - Independence Day

Reiner is over the whole patriotic thing, however he can't help but enjoy the events that take place because of it. There’s literally a bbq happening on every corner so he’s for sure house hopping for a plate. There's all sorts of sales and Gabi is making him put that wallet to USE hunnie. And while he doesn’t mind, he more so enjoys their time spent together. There's also the beautiful fireworks that light up the evening sky. And at the end of the day he gets to spend his remaining time with family, gathered around over good food and even better vibes. 

Armin - Mothers Day

Armin is def the type to dote on his wife. Hard day at work? He’s rubbing the stress out of your shoulders. Hungry? He’s cooking and prepping lunch for the week. Overwhelmed at work? He’s booking you a spa day. Armin literally adores his woman and enjoys any chance he has to celebrate her and Mothers Day is no exception. Expect him and the kiddies to hand make you some arts and crafts, cook you breakfast, and plan the holiday around your desired interests; with him making sure, at the end of the day, to show you why you celebrate the holiday in the first place. 

Floch - Halloween

He’s big on the spooky vibe but not to a concerning extent. Like many others he just enjoys the activities surrounding it. This is actually where Floch flourishes in creativity and fun. He’s making spooky themed treats, decorating to upstage the next door neighbor, and enjoying all the movie classics. Let's not even get started on the lengths he’ll go through to make the most life-like costumes and the parties where he shows it all off?? Top mf notch! Bonus points for getting some action at said parties.

[bomberqueen17]

farm life

Am at the farm. Just gonna witter on uninterestingly about that behind the cut because I"m too tired to be interesting.

Initially we were going to make chicken sausage this week but BIL decided not to, but then when I said I was coming anyway, he decided to cut up some chickens.

In past years they've always sold out of chicken parts way before they've sold out of whole chickens. But a couple of years ago a chef friend told him there was nothing really wrong with thawing a chicken, cutting it up, and refreezing the parts, and initially we were just thawing whole chickens to cut up to grind into sausage, but we did some tests and determined that actually, no, there's really no discernible loss of quality in the parts. So now we don't sell out of chicken breasts in December anymore, but can keep bringing them to market all winter.

So this year we took the whole chickens out of the store, stopped bringing them to market, and are *only* selling the parts, and are saving the whole chickens to thaw and cut up and refreeze as parts. It's working great. It's more work, but it's more profit, and also more sales. People just don't buy whole chickens that much.

So anyway we cut up 88 chickens, and saved like 60 of the carcasses into a pair of huge stock pots. Packaged all the parts up, labeled and weighed them, then put the stock pots on to boil. Today we packaged 89 quarts of chicken stock. I was going to deep-clean the commercial kitchen, but it's not ready for the full spring treatment: we're still washing eggs in there, which means baskets full of chicken-shitty eggs are coming in and getting set on the floor. So I just cleaned and sanitized the heck out of the stuff we were using, and also the floor drain, but have held off. In April when the temps don't go below freezing at night anymore, when the vegetable washing station can move out of the eviscerating room so the egg washing can move back in there, *then* I will haul all the big equipment out and wash the whole room from the ceiling to the walls to the floors to the back of the grinder, under the mixer, under the fridge, under the freezer, all of it is getting powerwashed within an inch of its life.

But not this trip.

Next week we're making pork sausage.

I have been taking my dose of adderall at 8am immediately before I go out to work. It's hard to judge the efficacy, actually, because I'm so busy and so rarely totally self-directed. The real test would be to have me have a day of idleness and half a dozen things I need to accomplish. But I can concretely observe that I don't get a sort of dizzy head rush when it kicks in anymore, and I don't crash around 3 or 4 pm anymore. No, instead I'm just physically exhausted at that time, but it's understandable that I would be, because despite my best efforts to work out all winter, I am in no way prepared for the amounts of heavy lifting, repetitive movements, and sheer mileage you have to walk around here.

Today I finished cleaning the kitchen and then spent a couple of hours with my trusty old pruners, helping Farmsister and Veg Man harvest pussy willows to sell at market in decorative bundles. They just chainsawed the trees off a couple inches above the ground, and then we went at them with pruners and only took the nice branches, and the rest are going through the woodchipper to be mulch. VegMan pointed out the line they'd cut back to last year: this is how you coppice willows, and you can harvest them like this every year. They were fifteen feet tall, all new growth.

Soon we'll have daffodils. Mom had too many at her house, and a couple years ago she and Dad dug up buckets and buckets of them and brought them over and we dug a trench in the hillside and tipped them in. And now they're about ready to be divided again, LOL.

We have pullet eggs too. The chickens are laying pretty well, manageable amounts. We've started packing the eggs by weight, which is a little time-consuming.

OK that's enough wittering. Have I got any photos? Hmm.

the view from the little creek down into the Quackenkill, alongside the back of the old granary. Morning, sun coming through the trees and lighting up the red-stained old siding, the neighbor's house visible at the other end of the cut.

2. A pig friend, muddy snoot questing toward the camera in the sunshine of the winter livestock barn, which has a plastic south-facing roof to let in all the light it can.

3. Farmsister, in her chainsaw chaps and safety gear, chainsawing down the pussy willows in front of the solar panels. (They measured, before they planted the little trees; they'd have to be 40 feet tall to block the light on the solar panels in any season, which I don't think a pussy willow would do, but it's still important to prune them back whether we harvest them for the catkins or not.)

That's all, happy spring. I'm so tired.

[thornsnvultures]

cw: self-indulgent fluff, injection medication, taking unspecified medication, unspecified chronic illness, needles, chronic pain, Eddie being a wonderful soft supportive bf, 632 wc

"You're amazing."

The plunk of your used injector hitting the bottom of the plastic container you store them in to be disposed of safely is a satisfying sound. It means you're done. The 15 seconds of torture between taking off the cap and finally pulling the needle from your thigh is over.

"How am I amazing?" You store the container away, back in its place where it can be easily ignored until the next dose is due. Eddie pulls you into his lap and wraps his arms around your waist. The kitchen chair is old and creaky and can barely support one full grown adult let alone two. But that's what you get for ten bucks at an estate sale.

Your leg is sore around the injection site, throbbing dully as the medicine pumps through your bloodstream. Eddie's thick fingers massage the area, rubbing gently along the outside of your thigh, occasionally brushing under the edge of your sleep shorts.

"I don't know how you do that all the time. I'm such a wimp with needles. And I hate seeing you in pain like this."

It does hurt. You try not to show it for just that reason but sometimes you can't hold back a pained "fuck!" that bubbles past your lips. It makes you and Eddie cringe but you're more accustomed to it than he is.

"What did they have to knock you out with a baseball bat when you got your tattoos?"

"No," he drops his head and chuckles into your arm, still massaging your leg. It doesn't hurt much anymore but it feels so good you're not about to tell him to stop. "I was so baked. Wasn't thinking about the needle at all. The one on my chest was the hardest. I almost blacked out twice."

"You're so cool."

"I know, right?"

Eddie squeezes you with the arm around your tummy and presses a kiss to your arm, your shoulder, your cheek. He stops massaging your leg to cup your cheek and pull you towards him so he can reach your lips. You melt into his touch, his lips, and scaly kiss him back.

"Come lay down with me?"

Eddie strokes your cheek and narrows his eyes.

"Not until you take something for the pain. C'mon," he pats your butt and you stand, dutifully taking the pain relief meds he gives you with a big glass of water.

"Jeez you're turning into my mom. No! You're turning into Steve."

Eddie gasps and grabs his chest like he's been shot. "How dare you! You will pay for those words, my dear."

You stick your tongue out at him only to squeal in surprise a second later when Eddie grabs your waist and tickles you. He spins you around, trapping you with your back against your chest, and you fold as he assaults your sides. His ringed fingers dig into your ribs as tears spring from your eyes and you beg for mercy.

"I give, I give! You're nothing like Steve. Please!"

"That's what I thought," Eddie chuckles by your ear. He doesn't let you go. He holds on tight to you and waddles you back to your bedroom so you can lay down and rest.

Once you're tucked in, Eddie presses a kiss to your forehead and pulls you into his chest.

"You're so brave, so amazing for taking care of yourself, baby. I know it's hard, I know it hurts, but I'm here for you. I'm here."

You nod your head against Eddie's chest, breathing in his scent through his well worn band tee. His hand finds your thigh again, rubbing in soothing circles. The pain is still there but all you can feel, all you can think of in this moment is Eddie. And it feels amazing.

[dykefaggotry]

listen this is in no way a defense of starbucks but instead a call to stop a moment and ask yourself if you're engaging in conspiratorial thinking

big post going around saying the boycott is working bc they're rebranding. evidence being that a café in the dublin airport has changed its name to "vista coffee" but is still using starbucks drinks

what actually happened is that starbucks location closed at the end of december and a new cafe is moving in permanently in the spring. in the meantime, they have temporarily named the store "vista coffee" and starbucks has authorized them to use their menu fixtures/product until the full rollout in the spring

is the starbucks boycott impacting their sales? probably! but I will remind yall once again that they are NOT a target of the official bds boycott list which you NEED to be focusing on instead. not spreading misinformation and conspiracies about how starbucks is trying to "rebrand" as vista coffee

and also do keep in mind that for Years there have been cafes "proudly serving starbucks" that are NOT official starbucks locations & usually have different names (other than the ones in target which do keep the name). I'm not saying you can't boycott those too if you want, but I AM saying don't automatically assume when you see a café with a different name serving starbucks that it's them rebranding bc of the boycott

and in GENERAL a good reminder that correlation =/= causation and just bc something seems suspicious and fits in with something you want to think, it does not automatically make it true. do a little digging.

[mosneakers]

Coni effortlessly crafts an image of her desired future in elaborate detail. "We'll have a huge mid century-modern home on the top of a hill in Oasis Springs." She begins. "Business will thrive for Sunglo there, and the desert heat is similar enough to Strangerville, so Aurora won't have any difficulty adapting."

Coni then gazes down lovingly at Aurora, playing peacefully with her homemade cardboard rocket ship and blocks, undoubtedly lost in a world created by her very own imagination.

"Aurora will be the best big sister." Coni beams. "I'm expecting Glo and I to have at least two more curly-haired Darling babies at that point... a boy and a girl would be ideal."

"...And who knows? We might even have more on the way!" Coni smirks. "I know Glo and I are gonna make such beautiful babies, so the more the merrier."

Coni then pauses, leans back in her pool lounge chair and crosses her arms. "...And I suppose Cecilia will still be around too." She sighs. The disdain in her voice is palpable, but a hint of love and admiration can also be detected. "Although, she'll have all the necessary enhancements that technology can bring to ensure that she is far less stupid and knows her place as a bot... cooking, cleaning, research and maintenance, where she belongs."

"As for Glo and I... we'll still be passionately, deeply in love, we'll finally be married, and I'll proudly wear the name Mrs. Darling!" Coni declares to Coraleye, who is mirroring the gleam in her eyes. "I'll have earned enough simoleons to retire from OnlyPixels, and after an abundantly successful engineering and bot sales career, Glo will soon go on to follow me in retirement within the next two years."

Coraleye gazes at Coni in adoration, giving her forearm a light squeeze to show her affection. "Wow, Con! Looks like you really do have it all planned out. My brother is so lucky to have you. I admire you so much, you know? Sometimes it just seems like you really conquered this world we live in, and made it your own. I mean that in the best way of course- Like your mind is just- otherworldly! " She giggles.

Coni immediately notices the irony in Coraleye's innocent words, and stares forward to retain her composure. Coni finds Coraleye's naivety endearing and a slight smile forms on the corner of her lips. "Well, anyway... that's my ten year plan. Did that give you any ideas for your dumb assignment?" Coraleye smirks. "Not at all."

"Well, Tycho should be here soon. Let's go make sure the guest bedroom is ready. That should lead to an epiphany or two," Coni mumbles, "...hopefully."

[hometoursandotherstuff]

WTH House of the day. It's an 1890 charmer, says the description. In Central City, Colorado, it has 3bds, 4ba, they want $650K. There's a lot going on in here. We have a lot to look at. First, that door that they built looks silly. Unless it's a storage shed...

There's a narrow entrance hall that looks like they may have enclosed it.

The dining room is nice, but it's the room you enter from the hall. This home had to be reconfigured.

Off the dining room is a bedroom.

This looks like a porch that was fashioned from several rooms, by the looks of the walls. I don't know what those openings in the ceiling are, but they look like some sort of railing above.

The kitchen has a weird setup. The stove is in the middle of the room. I thought that was a pop-up exhaust, but they put a shelf around the back of the stove.

We are smart shoppers, so we realize that the outdated cabinets were simply painted white. Did they block a window over the sink?

Here's a small powder room with a fancy bowl sink.

At first I thought that this home office was a room, but it's really just the hall landing at the bottom of the stairs. Well, at least it's roomy.

They made an elegant living room, but it's on the 2nd fl.

I don't know what's happening in here, but it looks like a TV room.

I'm so confused at how these rooms should go. Anyway, here is a hallway with wall cupboards and a tropical mural. It leads to a bath.

And, this is the bath it leads to.

The attic is finished and has big double doors to a terrace.

That box to the left of the bed was built to make a bathroom and keep in mind the glass block window.

And here it is. There's the glass block window on the right.

This is the cutest room in the house.

That's a DIY rock wall, but it's not bad. What's bad is that freshly hung wall paper that looks like stone.

Why is it in the tub/shower enclosure? I bet no one uses this bath until the house is sold, so it doesn't peel off.

Unattractive yard. Maybe in the spring it'll look better.

I hope that shed just whimsically looks like an outhouse.

This must be the back of the house. It's so long and narrow. I thought there'd be more land, but it's only got 0.4 of an acre. I don't know. $650K seems like a lot.

[avikard]

let me tell you a little more about my SDV farmer OC Ventan? 🍓

this is her latest redesign, i really wanted to make her outfit a little closer to her personality.

Ventan has lived in the valley for six years, four of which she has been married to Elliott. she originally came to her grandfather's farm to clean up the property a bit and then sell it, as she didn't want the taxes on this unused piece of land. but then something went wrong.

as i wrote earlier, she's physically really strong. i'm starting a logically muscular physique farmers OC club!

is an old reply to one fandom ask group.

"Your character is like…

a color: Blackberry (is the color of her hair in the sunlight)

a plant: Chenomeles (this flower blooms on the tree in the spring on her birthday)

an animal: Bear (she's strong and seems as sullen as a bear)

a scent: Strawberry (it's her favorite crop)

a music: "Remember me" from "Coco" (she promised to come back)

a feeling: Uncertainty (she's constantly wondering if she's doing the right thing)"

this is art for a halloween event in the same ask group.

the event consisted of the task of depicting their farmer as a yandere. at the time i participated, Ventan was still canonically married to Sebastiane, so Abigail's name is on the tombstone.

if it were Yandere, it would be really creepy stuff.

this answer (translations of the texts will be in the descriptions of the pictures) was based on a true story!!! and perfectly illustrates Ventan's first year on the farm.

although she had no intention of staying then, she had to make the days go by while saving up money to restore the farm for sale.

more facts about her!!!

🍓 she doesn't like fishing, but nevertheless she fishes just fine.

🍓 at first sight she is a closed and even a bit gloomy person, but if you have something in common with her - most likely you will see her real friendly and soft nature.

🍓 lived in a big city all her life before moving. never liked nature and small communities until she came to the valley.

🍓 she wasn't too fond of farm work either, but over time she got used to it and even loved the routine. and the people of Pelican town too.

🍓 works most of the time with music in her headphones.

🍓 doesn't like sunny days.

🍓 all her livestock are named after planets and stars.

🍓 loves going to Zuzu City just for fun and for business.

🍓 she's hard to piss off.

…i also did her wedding to another artist's farmer OC in that ask group for a joke and we had a lot of fun. and here she is so beautiful!!!

[sherifftillman]

Masterlist:

x Reader:

Tutoring - fluff - You’re pretty well-known for your straight As, and your aptitude for helping others get there. So much so, that you attract the attention of the world’s most impossible client, Edward Munson. (gender neutral reader)

Getting Amped- fluff - It’s a big day for Eddie - the day he plans on finally asking you out. It’s still a little nerve-wracking, though, so he psyches himself up in the one way he would never let anyone know he does. (Eddie’s POV, no direct reader input)

Existing Together - fluff - Life is tough when you’re in middle school. A strange boy who lives in the same trailer park as you knows just how you feel, and just how to make it all feel better. (gender neutral reader)

Rained Off - fluff - You and your old best friend have a whole spring break of nostalgic adventure planned… But the weather has other ideas for you. (gender neutral reader)

Rejuvenation - smut - Giving up on your local music scene, you find a band in the next town over who has you coming back for more. (f!reader, rockstar au)

Feeling Understood - fluff - Life at school being you isn’t great, sure, but at least it’s consistent and it’s not hurting anyone. But maybe having someone to fight your corner would be nice. (gender neutral autistic!reader)

False Idols - smut - One revelation leads to another, and another… (f!reader)

The Buffer - fluff - Chrissy just wants to play wingwoman. If only the two people in question weren’t so clueless. (gender neutral reader)

I Want Your Video - smut - You had to make your ex pay for what he did, to you and his former fellow Hellfire party member. There’s only one person that can truly help you with that. (f!reader)

Your friend and co-lead’s in-character love confession feels a little too real - fluff (f!reader, theater kid au)

Eddie recruits you into Hellfire - fluff (f!reader)

Treating Eddie’s Upside Down scars - fluff (gender neutral reader)

Giving Eddie the birthday party he always wanted - fluff (gender neutral reader)

Eddie “helps” you prepare for a bake sale - fluff (gender neutral reader)

x Reader x Steve Harrington:

An Unambiguous Love (series) - fluff - Your favourite customers really make it easier returning to the town you never went to school in. If only your friends at work would stop trying to play matchmaker between you. (f!reader, not canon compliant) - complete

1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10

Steve and Eddie notice you're calling fake sick and come to "check" on you - smut (f!reader)

x Jonathan Byers:

Wavelengths - fluff - Despite his constant flirting, Eddie just can't get Jonathan to understand his feelings towards him. Thankfully, his meddling friends have a plan. Inspired by the Wavelengths DLC from Life is Strange: True Colors

x Nancy Wheeler

I'm Yours Tonight - fluff - Newly single Nancy needs a prom date. So does eternally single Eddie Munson.

x Reader:

Fake It ‘Til You Make It- fluff - You didn’t mean to call THE Steve Harrington of your high school days, the pet name you always call your best friend. But after seeing Dustin’s reaction to it, how could you possibly pass up the opportunity to annoy your little brother even further? (gender neutral Henderson!reader)

Curiosity Is Killing Me - smut - When sleepovers with your best friend become a ruse for her sneaking her own boyfriends in, it’s not your fault that the only other distraction is her brother… (f!reader)

Sugar and Spice - smut - Your benefactor’s colleagues have been itching to get him to go to dinner with them, so you do what any good sugar baby would do and help him out, but not without making sure you get a little something, first. (f!reader)

What Are Friends For? - smut - A late night post-Truth or Dare chat with your best friend has you admitting your own lack of experience, sexually. Thankfully, he's more than happy to tutor you. (f!reader)

You can see right into your new neighbour’s apartment - fluff (gender neutral reader)

You unexpectedly faint on Steve - fluff (gender neutral reader)

Steve meets your younger brother - fluff (f!reader)

Steve visits your house, to feel at home with your family - fluff (gender neutral Henderson!reader, not affiliated with other work)

Ficmas: Tradition - After keeping an old Harrington tradition, you and Steve start your own - fluff (f!reader)

x Reader x Eddie Munson:

An Unambiguous Love (series) - fluff - Your favourite customers really make it easier returning to the town you never went to school in. If only your friends at work would stop trying to play matchmaker between you. (f!reader, not canon compliant) - complete

1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10

Steve and Eddie notice you're calling fake sick and come to "check" on you - smut (f!reader)

x Chrissy Cunningham:

Stretch It Out - fluff - Steve doesn't realise the person who washed their laundry before him left a shirt in the machine until it was too late. Turns out, he's not the only one from Hawkins at this school. 

Steve finds out Chrissy's a little touch-starved, and offers to help her - smut

Dethroned - fluff - A fresh new start, Chrissy Cunningham’s got everything wrapped around her finger. Her classes, her extra-curriculars… And the number one heartthrob on campus. If only he’ll just admit what he really wants.

History Repeats Itself - fluff/smut - Chrissy thought she was going to make it big. She was going to get away from everything terrible in her life. Although that didn’t end up working out in her favour, at least she also managed to cling onto her most reliable life preserver in the form of her best friend Steve.

A Discordant Romance - fluff - When Eddie Munson gathers all his streamer friends from all the walks of his life, sparks fly for two in particular.

Blinded By Feelings - fluff/smut - Robin and Eddie love their best friends more than anything. Robin and Eddie hate hearing about their best friends’ failed romances more than anything. They decide to intervene, not realising there’s more to setting up a blind date than meets the eye.

Lightning Never Strikes Twice - fluff - Robin wants a plus one for her ten-year high school reunion, in case it’s’ as terrible as she anticipates. However, it becomes very apparent very quickly that Steve, who didn’t even go to his own reunion, isn’t needed here, either.

36 Questions To Fall In Love - fluff - Psychologists claim that they have come up with 36 questions which can lead to two people who know little to nothing about each other beforehand, to fall in love. Curious about the study thanks to their own forlorn love lives, Steve Harrington and Chrissy Cunningham both separately sign up to

x Reader:

Heart Of A Lion - fluff - Making friends with someone to get closer to the not-so-secret admirer who’s been leaving notes in your locker yields far more interesting results. (gender neutral reader)

Ficmas: Mistletoe - You and Jonathan are responsible for decorating the Lenora Hills High Winter Ball - fluff (gn!reader)

x Eddie Munson:

Wavelengths - fluff - Despite his constant flirting, Eddie just can't get Jonathan to understand his feelings towards him. Thankfully, his meddling friends have a plan. Inspired by the Wavelengths DLC from Life is Strange: True Colors

x Reader:

Ficmas: Matching pyjamas - You and your colleagues choose to do Secret Santa over a holiday party - fluff (f!reader)

x Reader:

Busy Streets and Busy Lives (series) - fluff/angst/smut - A strange day at work gets even stranger when you meet a man who claims he’s from 1926. With no certainty as to when he can get back, you decide to take him in until that time arrives. (gn!afab!reader) - complete

• masterlist •

Reader dances with Ralph on his birthday - fluff (f!reader)

Ficmas: Baking - You and Ralph have to make Christmas cookies for your friends - fluff (bsbl!verse, gn!reader)

You, a singer, catch Ralph admiring your performance and invite him backstage - smut (f!reader)

x Reader:

Firsts - fluff/angst/smut - A boy you met in the playground has a far greater effect on your life than you could have imagined. (f!reader)

Cheers to the Weekend - smut - You and your boyfriend discuss what to do with your weekend off together. (f!reader)

Worth the Wait - smut - Your favourite customer has a confession to make, that he's very eager to. You wish you could believe him - if only he weren't drunk every time he saw you. (f!reader)

Some older!Tom thoughts

x Reader:

Kurt falls for a drive thru server - fluff + smut (f!reader)